The owner of an ice-cream and churros firm built on the site of a Glasgow cafés institution has hit back at claims he needlessly destroyed heritage features saying criticism over the project had left him "close to tears".
Loop & Scoop will open a third venue in the South Side of the city later this week following the £300,000 renovation of a B-listed building which was previously home to one of the city's oldest cafés.
The company was given listed-building consent to convert Queen's Cafe, in Govanhill and pledged to retain as many of the cafe's original features as possible including stained glass windows on the facade of the building.
The café at 515-517 Victoria Road, was opened by the Italian Jaconelli family after they arrived in Glasgow in the 1890s and prided itself on serving the "best ice-cream in the city."
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The loss of historic wall tiles in the lobby of the building during the renovation project has prompted concern from the community with Glasgow City Council confirming it has launched an enforcement investigation into alleged non-compliance with planning conditions.
Glasgow Labour MSP Paul Sweeney said it was disappointing that the approved design plans "did not appear to have been adhered to" and claimed the tiles were in good condition.
He said: "The local community and those interested in Glasgow’s built heritage were very supportive of this new venture and I believe they would continue to be supportive if the original design which retained key listed features such as the lobby tiling were reinstated."
However, Calvin Kayes, 34, the founder and director of Loop & Scoop. said the criticism levelled at him was misguided.
"Anything that absolutely could be saved has been saved," said Mr Kayes.
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"There was severe water penetration that eroded the sandstone and I had to have the front of the building repaired. The tiles were at the back of that and they were just gone.
"There was no way to save it but I managed to retain the big centrepiece [of the tiles] which is around 3ft square and has been framed."
He said the original stained glass windows were retained and repaired by a specialist as well as one side of the marble steps.
He added: " We uncovered the ghost sign which a lot of people picked up on and it has been framed and put on the wall.
"That sign is about 120 years old and we weren't sure we were going to be able to save it.
"We found lots of old images of the cafe which we've framed and there is going to be a tribute to the history of the building on the wall.
"We've even kept an old safe."
He said criticism over the "labour of love" restoration had left him on the verge of tears.
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"I have to be totally honest, I'm so upset by it," said the owner. "I'm getting judged on something that I haven't done.
"Unfortunately if someone puts something online, people think that must be the truth.
"Anybody who knows me knows that I give 100% - I'm not a bad guy.
"Yes, it's Loop & Scoop but we are the custodians of the site so I wanted to retain any details that I absolutely can," he added.
"The site was on the verge of dilapidation.
"We've got to embrace the past but the business has to be viable as a business."
The company owns two other venues on Great Western Road and in Bearsden.
The Govanhill outlet was originally scheduled to open in spring 2022, but the date was pushed back and the venue is due to open on Thursday.
A spokesman for Glasgow City Council said: “An enforcement investigation into alleged non-compliance with approved plans is being conducted.”
Queen's Cafe re-emerged as Ginesi's Artisan Gelato on the same street.
Glasgow is renowned for its old-style Italian cafés, most of which have been in operation for over 100 years, but they are slowly dwindling in number due to changing tastes and times.
The Scottish Italian community settled mostly in Scotland's largest city and most were of Tuscan origin.
Café d'Jaconelli at Queen's Cross in Maryhill celebrated its 99th year in business earlier this year.
The cafe featured in the movie Trainspotting, classic rock and roll drama Tutti Frutti starring the late Robbie Coltrane and even an SNP party political broadcast.
The University Café, on Byres Road, has been owned and run by the Verrecchia family since it opened in 1904 while the very first Coia's Café, originally on the corner of Duke Street, was operated by Carmine and Amalia Coia when it opened in 1928.
Nicky and Ena Coia took over in the 1950's and during the 1980’s the ownership transferred to the current owners – Alfredo and Antonia Coia, the third generation of the family to run the business.
Langside Cafe was put up for sale in 2017 after 98 years of serving the South Side community.
Established 1n 1920, the café was run by the same family from 1948-2018.
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